Good, he explained, was a concept that came from the Hebrews. In fact, the first chapter of the Torah was G-d explaining how everything He created was “good” … light was good, dark was good, earth was good, and water was good. Everything was GOOD. And the interesting thing is that BOTH light and dark, earth and water were good. So what does that imply? It implies that “Good” is a process – it’s about the seasons and constantly moving from growth to decay and growth again. It’s about always moving and shifting and sometimes life being amazing, and sometimes life being rough. Both failure and success are part of “good.” Life is dynamic. That’s normal. And that’s amazing.

Perfect, however, came from the Greeks. The Greeks brought with them the idea of the “ideal” – the ideal body and the Olympics; philosophy, debates, and the ideal mind. But what is the problem with perfect? The problem with perfect is that it’s static. It means that you’ve reached the highest possible peak and there’s nowhere else to climb.

But what’s life without growth and moving forward and climbing? … Boring.

Good and perfect, then, is not so much about the quality of your work but about your mindset. Perfect means you have to get things perfectly right on the first try, while good knows it’s a process and it’s ok to start messy and ugly, and in fact, you’re supposed to! Perfect means everything is neat and tidy and clean, and good is as clean and tidy but also as magical as the birth of a child (which we all know by the way is one of the things furthest from clean and tidy).

The Torah starts with the affirmation of the mess of life. The Torah starts with telling us that light, dark, earth, water, the moon, and the stars are all GOOD, not “PERFECT.” Life is supposed to have ugly starts, and rollercoaster ups and downs. And all of it is good. ALL of it is GOOD. One last time: ALL. Of. It. Is. GOOD.

Thousands of years ago, the Jews had a military victory over the Greeks during Chanukah. Yet today, most of us still seem to live our lives through the Greek “perfect” mindset, instead of the Jewish / Torah “good” mindset. We still go around trying to act and look perfect all the time. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Life is GOOD. And even the process of learning to think of life as good is good. You reading this is good! Getting tired and dirty is good. And whatever you decide to do after this will also be good.

With that, wishing you a GOOD week, month, year, and life ahead

]]>https://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2017/08/12/good-vs-perfect-or-dirty-tired-part-2/feed/0seekerthoughtsTired & Dirtyhttps://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2017/08/05/tired-dirty/
https://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2017/08/05/tired-dirty/#respondSat, 05 Aug 2017 14:54:12 +0000http://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2017/08/05/tired-dirty/More Tired & Dirty]]>I used to hate getting dirty. I always kept all my things spotless and perfect and mostly wrapped in plastic, and always kept my clothes pristine. The look I subconsciously aimed for was for everything to always look and smell brand new, fresh out of the box or fresh out of the laundry.

I didn’t like getting tired either. I took breaks when I felt my stress levels rising, and to the best of my ability and discernment, always did everything in moderation.

But lately I’ve been walking through mud in my slippers. I’ve been letting myself get sweaty. I’ve stayed up all night to get projects just right. I stopped trying to write perfectly neatly in my notebooks and just scribble all over.

Because I realized that dirty and tired means LIVING. There is a great quote that goes, “A ship in harbor is safe – but that’s not what ships are built for.” Dirty and tired means that you’re actually working towards things, and producing and growing, not just being static. It means you actually used your things and read your books and learned your music (little note there for fellow musicians!). It means you invested your energies towards something, and have a passion!

No, I don’t walk around with stains all over my clothes and my things haphazardly thrown into my purse, and am not advocating those things. I’m still as organized as I can be. But I’m no longer hesistant to get down and dirty and sweaty, and for my things to look a tad more worn than if they’d just come out the box. Because with those, I feel like I’m actually experiencing life and enjoying the world Hashem put me in. I’d like to think that after 120 years, if Hashem asks me, “Did you experience everything I made available for you in the physical world?” I can say YES, I did Hashem, and it was incredible! And with them also is the knowledge that sometimes there are more important things than perfect, things like being genuine and unapologetically you.

And as part of my not-needing-to-be-perfect “rebellion,” I’m simply jumping right back into writing, no bazillion edits and asking friends’ opinions before hitting publish. This post may be “dirty” and unpolished, but it’s authentic and real and my attempt at making a dramatic entrance back Hope it worked, haha.

]]>https://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2017/08/05/tired-dirty/feed/0seekerthoughtsPesach Cleaning: Ghosts and Gold Crackshttps://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2017/04/04/pesach-cleaning-ghosts-and-gold-cracks/
https://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2017/04/04/pesach-cleaning-ghosts-and-gold-cracks/#commentsTue, 04 Apr 2017 12:33:26 +0000http://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2017/04/04/pesach-cleaning-ghosts-and-gold-cracks/More Pesach Cleaning: Ghosts and Gold Cracks]]>A few years back, I auditioned for a prestigious Asia-wide orchestra summer camp. To put it very mildly, the panelist declined me and gave me his very frank thoughts on my playing. What he said about my playing I was able to shrug off after a few days, but something else he said haunted me for years: “Do your country a favor and stop teaching [violin], you don’t know what you’re doing.”

Since then, I had always taught with some apprehension. Whenever I had a difficult time with a student his words would ring in my ears and I wondered if maybe I should just find all my students new teachers.

Fast forward: the date is March 26, 2017, and I am performing with some friends for a group of underprivileged kids who another friend of mine had been giving lessons to. I thought it would be a wonderful boost for the kids to see an actual string quartet in action, so we set the date and did it. That experience deserves a whole entry on its own, but one conversation with one of the kids made an incredible impact on me:

“Yeah. The first batch of students, we all learned from sir Giovanni (my friend) himself.” She explained. “But now we’re the ones teaching the new ones who come in.”

Her words lingered with me after we left, and slowly I realized how much I had been overanalyzing teaching the past few years. I was so scared to make a mistake I kept tripping over myself. This girl thought all she did was tell me about their orchestra’s system, but she did something much more: she pushed away a ghost that had been haunting me for years. I had let one thing one man said shake my confidence all this time, and all it took was one thing one little girl said to get it back.

Pesach (or before it, rather) is the time to clean our houses and other spaces and get rid of all the chometz. I’d heard many times Pesach is also a time for personal / inner freedom, but this was the first time I’d actually experienced it. I wish I could share a fool-proof formula for shaking off past ghosts in time for the holiday, but these are the things that really depend on each person and each circumstance.

What I can give however, is this: a blessing and prayer that you reading this now, whoever you may be, may you read or hear something as well to trigger the letting go of the inner “chometz” you are holding inside you, whether you are aware of it or not. It’s Pesach, it’s the time for freedom – as important as it is to clean our outside environment, I hope you find some time for some inner cleaning as well, and some confronting of past ghosts. And afterwards, I personally love this idea…May you find yourself more beautiful and lined with gold. A happy and kosher Pesach!

]]>https://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2017/04/04/pesach-cleaning-ghosts-and-gold-cracks/feed/2seekerthoughtsUnlimited Job Openingshttps://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2017/03/19/unlimited-job-openings/
https://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2017/03/19/unlimited-job-openings/#respondSun, 19 Mar 2017 15:32:28 +0000http://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/?p=1543More Unlimited Job Openings]]>Over the weekend I found myself thinking about my violin career and well, frankly, how limited the opportunities are, at least those on the professional orchestra level. There are only so many orchestras in the country, which only need so many violinists, and there are armies and armies of violinists ready to audition at every opening.

And of course, I know this applies to a lot of other jobs and situations as well, not just for violinists. Hard work and perseverance are very important, but so is the timing of when things happen. And the truth is, some people are simply around at the right place at the right time, and some aren’t. (Not to say that those who were didn’t work hard also to get where they are – they did, but they had the extra factor of “luck,” which deserves more credit that we often give it, I think.)

But thankfully, there are some things that don’t require good timing and fighting for limited slots, though they still do require hard work and perseverance. These are things like making other people happy, learning to be respectful, being grateful, and guarding our tongues by learning the laws of shmiras halashon. Things like being a good listener, and being a person of integrity, and being trustworthy. Things that aren’t tied down to this limited world, and therefore, whose effects won’t be limited either.

There isn’t only a number of people who can spread cheer in the world. There isn’t only a specific number of people who are allowed into the “kindness club.” While these jobs aren’t the typical ones found in job listings, there is a dire need of them every single day, and the more people who decide to take these jobs up, the better. While they may not directly affect your parnassah, the “currency” in which you will be “paid” will be much higher in value anyway – and well, these traits could indirectly affect your parnassah in this world at some point too, who knows?

So which job will you apply for today – showing kindness, making someone happy, or something else you have in mind? No previous experience necessary, no necessary educational attainment, though learning on the job is encouraged. Applicants are encouraged to start as soon as possible with whatever they are comfortable with, then building up from there. There is no set schedule for receiving your “paycheck” but every time you do, whether you notice it or not, it will be better than you could have imagined. Unlimited slots open, so tell your friends.

A few weeks ago, I decided I wanted to take all the Shmiras HaLashon lessons Devorah Sisso (who I work for) gives in her Whatsapp group and develop an email automation. Meaning, anyone can come and sign up on our form and immediately get sent a welcome email and their Day 1 lesson, and continue receiving one lesson a day for the next 29 days. It seemed really simple, and I eagerly sat down to start building this automation. (It should be said that this is the second one I’ve ever built, and the first one was a simple one-step automation, a welcome email to our newsletter list. This was a big step for me!)

Just as I sat down I realized… hang on, what about Shabbos? I can’t have my automation emailing on Saturdays. And come to think of it, I can’t have it emailing Friday evenings either. After nagging the incredible customer support at Active Campaign, they walked me through the steps to address these issues, and I continued building the automation.

At this point, even though I had only built 5 out of the 30 days of our automation, I enrolled a couple of people in as my beta testers. I was really excited to see if this would work. But suddenly, all these problems popped up again. First of all, since I enrolled everybody, everybody was detected as living in my time zone. This stressed me out more than I could explain since I worked so hard to get the timing of the emails right – but if my contacts were registered to a different time zone, then that would mess everything up! Second, I noticed one person unsubscribed right away, which was fine and understandable – but though she was off my contact list, she was still enrolled in my automation, meaning she would still receive emails! Which, obviously, is not supposed to happen after you unsubscribe. And third, I had set up a previous automation a few days prior just to test on myself the effectiveness of the timings and conditions I set. It turned out to be a very good idea, because I got sent a couple of emails at the wrong time of the day, and it took some analyzing to discover yet another condition I missed.

Though Google and (once again) the amazing customer support helped me address these issues, I was beginning to have doubts. I started to wonder if I had bitten off more than I could chew, if I finally thought up a project way too big for me – but now couldn’t get out of because I had seven beta testers already receiving emails! I was also starting to really regret not testing this out more on myself before launching it. But it was too late for that, so there was nothing to do but keep trudging forward.

The week was by now coming to a close, and I brought out my parsha book to read as I do every Friday afternoon. As I took a break from work to read all about all the laws listed on parshat Mishpatim, I couldn’t help but be amazed at how detailed all the laws listed were – and I also couldn’t help but laugh. I had just spent the week figuring out every specific tiny detail to make sure my automation ran right, and here I was reading about G-d explaining every specific tiny detail to make sure we all knew how to ran our lives right. And I just had a moment of extreme gratitude that I wasn’t G-d and in charge of the entire world, but the G-d that actually is truly knows what He’s doing and has all the laws and conditions down pat, no beta testers required. Thank goodness all I have to do is figure out setting up this automation right so that it wouldn’t violate Shabbos.

So as of the time of this publishing, I think I have all the conditions finally right. My automation started out looking very neat and orderly, but since I had to make adjustments while people were already on it, it now figuratively looks like it is covered in band aids, with lots of additional steps squeezed into the ones I previously programmed. But truthfully, I don’t care so much, as long as my automation works! I have just happily finished building email 16 (but in truth, something like step 100 on my automation) and was about to celebrate crossing the halfway mark when a horrible thought hit me: I had programmed not to send out emails every Shabbos…

… but what am I going to do about the chaggim…? … Oy. Thank G-d I’m not G-d, or … I don’t even want to imagine what the world would look like!

Curious to see how well my automation works? I am too! I would love to have more Beta testers come and let me know if their emails arrive smoothly, etc.! Just head on over tohttp://www.devorahspeaks.com/shmiras-halashon and I would appreciate it greatly if you could sign up and try it out for me! You’ll also of course receive a short shmiras halashon lesson daily to your email, and that’s a great reason to sign up for itself.

]]>https://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2017/02/26/parshat-mishpatim-and-a-halachically-acceptable-automation/feed/0top_4_trending_programming_languages_one_must_learnseekerthoughtsBecoming Unapologetichttps://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2017/02/12/becoming-unapologetic/
https://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2017/02/12/becoming-unapologetic/#respondSun, 12 Feb 2017 12:30:43 +0000http://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/?p=1514More Becoming Unapologetic]]>For most of my life, people have always told me I apologize too much. The thing is, it’s become such a habit to say sorry, I don’t even notice half the time that I’m apologizing until I am told, “It’s not your fault, nothing to apologize for.”

This week as I was chatting with my mentor on something completely unrelated to me, she happened to say, “Everyone comes in alone, and everyone leaves alone.”

I found myself thinking about that a lot afterward and realized … most of my problems with myself came from because I compared myself to other people. I apologized a lot because, in many scenarios, I felt myself the “smaller” person. But then I thought… everyone comes in alone, and everyone leaves alone. Therefore I couldn’t possibly be smaller than anyone else… because there IS no one else.

“Hashem, it’s just you and me,” I said. “Just you and me.”

I spent the day off my phone and spent the day with myself, and just let myself be. Every now and then I would say again, “Hashem, it’s just you and me.” With constantly being connected to the internet (Shabbos-less non-Jew here), it’s hard to remember that as real as the connections you make online are, they are not as important and as real as your connection to yourself, and with Hashem. I spent the first hour or two thinking that perhaps my friends or even work would be looking for me, and kept thinking of checking my phone. But I stopped and thought to myself that I’m allowed time to myself too. I don’t need to drop everything to answer to everyone always, I need time to answer to myself too.

I can’t describe the effect it’s had on me, to finally understand on some internal level that at the end of the day, it’s just me and Hashem, and everyone else in my life was just sent to teach me and help me grow. I’ve always taken on extra stress upon myself to do things for other people, but the past few days I’ve learned to say “no,” and not feel guilty about it. I’ve always been rather clingy towards my friends, and have finally just understood that it was because I was looking for validation from them. So now, I’m working on teaching myself to validate myself.

This entry is more personal than my usual, but I thought it was an important message to share. I’m still working on this, but I’d like to think I’m on to the right path here. So I’d like to remind you also: Learn to validate yourself. Know that as important as your relationships and other people are in your life, at the end of the day, it’s just you and Hashem. Learn to be comfortable with your own company, you don’t always need to be connected to others. Make yourself proud. Allow yourself time to just be, and time to answer to yourself. You are your own complete and whole person.

]]>https://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2017/02/12/becoming-unapologetic/feed/0self-loveseekerthoughtsGrowth at the Fringeshttps://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2017/02/04/growth-at-the-fringes/
https://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2017/02/04/growth-at-the-fringes/#commentsSat, 04 Feb 2017 13:36:05 +0000http://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/?p=1511More Growth at the Fringes]]>I was recently with my friend’s 7-year old daughter and was telling her, “Next time, I’ll take you and your brothers out!”

“Actually,” she goes. “Maybe next time my mommy can come and she and the boys can go to Gymboree [a kids’ play area] or something, and we two can just you know, walk around and shop!”

At that moment it hit me so strongly that this girl was no longer the little 4-year old I met years ago. She was one of the “big girls” now. So I smiled and told her that yes, we could do that.

Somehow, we have less of these kinds of moments when we get older, moments when we decide we’re not so interested in Gymboree anymore and would rather go shopping. Somehow, we simply get more and more set in our ways and habits. Somehow, we don’t know as intuitively when it’s time to move on – and rarely do we take the time to assess ourselves now and then. Kids are often told not to grow up too fast, but we adults sometimes forget to keep growing.

So think about it: Are the things you’re doing now still making you happy, or are you doing them just because you’ve been doing them for years? Are you actually still interested in this and that, or not so much anymore? Is that still your favorite cuisine, music, or fashion style, or have your tastes changed? Have you been trying anything new?

Is the way you do your mitzvot still meaningful and exciting to you – or are you just doing them the same way you’ve been doing them since you were five?

You don’t have to quit your day job and/or go do something extreme like climb Mt. Everest (unless that really is one of your life goals). All you need to do is always improve a little bit on what you already do. Learn another bracha (blessing), or say the ones you already do with more kavanah (intent). Learn from another set of commentaries when learning the parshiyot, start beating your work deadlines, wake up a little earlier, exercise an extra ten minutes, or add another two minutes to your daily hisbodedut / prayer time. Growing isn’t always throwing yourself way, way, way out of your comfort zone; sometimes it’s a series of baby steps just outside your comfort zone that add up. It’s an incredible practice to regularly do things that make you just that little bit uncomfortable, and to always change the way you do things, especially things in your routine. Because that’s where growth happens: at the fringes of your comfort zone.

What little change will you make in your life today?

]]>https://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2017/02/04/growth-at-the-fringes/feed/2first-stepseekerthoughtsChinese New Year – and What Could Be Better than Perfect?https://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2017/01/28/chinese-new-year-and-what-could-be-better-than-perfect/
https://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2017/01/28/chinese-new-year-and-what-could-be-better-than-perfect/#respondSat, 28 Jan 2017 16:39:28 +0000http://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/?p=1476More Chinese New Year – and What Could Be Better than Perfect?]]>I’ve been working with Devorah Sisso Stieglitz for about a year now, but produced a number of incredible things this past month alone – and she noticed. A few days ago, she finally couldn’t resist and asked me, “What changed? Why are you suddenly producing so much?”

The answer was actually very simple: I just decided to START doing things.

There’s a quote I read recently that I really like that goes: “Is it one day, or day one? You decide.”

This month I decided it was time for day one.

It’s one of the things that’s actually almost as easily done as it is said. I’ve had a list of things I’ve been meaning to do for Devorah for a while, like people to reach out to, etc. I always knew I had to do them but it was always “when so and so happens” or “tomorrow morning, when I’m fully awake.” And finally a few nights ago I thought, “I’m doing this RIGHT NOW.” Even if it’s 10pm. Even if I don’t finish it now in one go. I’m just going to start working on it RIGHT NOW. And I did.

Productivity is a thing with momentum. You just need to get the ball rolling, and it’ll speed up by itself over time, and get even faster as you get into the hang of things. What are some of the things you’ve always wanted to do but “you’ll get around to them eventually”? Read a certain book, learn a skill, or try a new recipe? Before you finish reading this, pick one thing you’ve put off for a long time – the smaller and quicker to achieve the better – and decide to do it. If your idea is too big, then break it down to small steps and pick one of those.

Each of us has that itch to create and produce, it’s what comes with having a part of Hashem inside you. So give in to it. MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. Whether you decide to wash your dishes, clean out the closet, call that person, read that book, start that foundation, raise that money, take on that new mitzvah, or grow your hair to donate – just pick ONE thing to do after reading this. And you’ll find that it wasn’t as hard as you thought it might be, and you can’t wait to start another little project.

You may be thinking “you make it sound as if it were that easy!” and the truth is, it’s because it IS that easy. Decide you’ll do it, figure out how to (when lost, Google usually knows!) and then go do it.

Consider this a little nudge: in case you haven’t started working on your 2017 resolutions yet, or your 5777 ones, or have forgotten your list/s already… this weekend is the Chinese lunar new year, another opportunity for a “fresh start” to go over those lists again, or write them anew.

Happy producing!

]]>https://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2017/01/28/chinese-new-year-and-what-could-be-better-than-perfect/feed/0clocks-1098080_960_720seekerthoughtsWhy You Should Hold Your Chin Up Highhttps://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2016/12/18/why-you-should-hold-your-chin-up-high/
https://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2016/12/18/why-you-should-hold-your-chin-up-high/#respondSun, 18 Dec 2016 13:39:30 +0000http://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/?p=1468More Why You Should Hold Your Chin Up High]]>A few weeks ago was my family company’s 70th anniversary celebration. I, of course, grew up with the knowledge that I was the great-granddaughter of the person who built this company out of the ground that is still being run by my grand uncle. Growing up, my experience walking around the office was of being known and greeted by all the employees. I was one of the “family owners.”

While listening to all the speeches being made during the party, I couldn’t help but be incredibly proud of how far the company has come. In truth, I don’t have much to do with it – I am after all a violinist, and there isn’t much space for a violinist in the corporate setting. But I grew up regularly hearing about the company and what it was up to, ran around the hallways of the office, and got to meet most of the employees throughout my life.

But that evening above everything else, what I felt was pride for my great grandfather and grandfather who started the company that is still going strong 70 years later. I remembered the stories I was told when the company was in its infancy. But mostly I remembered story after story of my grandfather’s intelligence, keen business sense, and his incredible way of dealing with business partners here and abroad. And though it is true all of the time, at that specific moment, I felt very strongly how proud I was to be related to him, and how I believe I’ve learned a thing or two about work ethics from him, both from knowing him in person and being embedded in my DNA.

The next day as I was reading through the Torah portion, a thought hit me and I texted my friend as quick as I could type: “Rivky, tell me… what does it feel like to know that you’re a descendant of the patriarchs and the matriarchs?”

Just as I was bursting with pride for being related to my grandfather, I could only imagine what it would feel like to be related to the incredible patriarchs and matriarchs. Knowing that Sarah imeinu is your great, great, great (a hundred times removed) grandmother, and that Yaakov avinu was your great, great (a hundred times removed) grandfather. Knowing that the incredible spiritual traits and middot possessed by these legendary men and women are still coursing through your veins, in your DNA and that you have the potential – and even the advantage! – to develop them also.

I thought about what it would feel like to know that you are a child of the G-d who built this world from nothing, and walking around knowing everyone knows who you are: one of the “family owners.”

But, also knowing as one of the “family owners,” you’re expected to carry yourself a little differently. You aren’t reigning over the other “employees,” but you need to have a little more confidence in your step. People look up to you as one of the leader figures, and leaders need that little extra presence. All the extra things that are required of you aren’t random, extra “burdens” – rather, they are little things that force you to develop more discipline (among other things), and therefore “train” you better for your “role” to play. You may have not chosen to be born the way you were, but the choice is yours to step up and play the role as best as you can.

I’d always been more of the shy type. I hesitate a lot speaking in front of a crowd, and I doubt myself ten too many times. But since that evening, I’ve been holding my chin up a little higher. And when I’d find myself in situations I’d normally cower from, I’d remember my grandfather, stand up taller, and – at least on the outside – confidently face the situation.

To my Jewish friends reading this, I know you all grew up being told this on a regular basis but I hope you take a minute again now to remember the genes that you carry in your DNA: that you are descended from Avraham, Sarah, Yitzchak, Rivka, Yaakov, Rochel, and Leah. You are royalty! More is expected of you because more people are watching you – but you also have the privilege of being “in the family.” Hold that chin up high and make your ancestors proud.

]]>https://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2016/12/18/why-you-should-hold-your-chin-up-high/feed/0seekerthoughtsWhat Coloring with my Niece Taught Mehttps://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2016/11/11/what-coloring-with-my-niece-taught-me/
https://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/2016/11/11/what-coloring-with-my-niece-taught-me/#commentsFri, 11 Nov 2016 07:06:12 +0000http://seekerthoughts.wordpress.com/?p=1461More What Coloring with my Niece Taught Me]]>A few weeks ago, one of my sisters gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. As part of my efforts to help out, I’ve been spending a lot of time babysitting her 3-year-old, so she can focus on the newborn in the meantime.

Spending tons of time with a 3-year-old daily is teaching me more life lessons than I could have ever imagined. But to date, I have two favorite lessons:

The first came about when we were coloring, and she accidentally starting coloring outside the lines. A part of me was too lazy to make a fuss, she did after all mostly stay within the lines. And frankly, what did it matter? But I looked at the page and thought… why not make an artwork out of the “out of the line” colorings? And so we ended up with this:

Far from a masterpiece, I know, but I looked at it and thought… life is like this too. Sometimes we make “mistakes” and go “out of the line” and think that our lives are too messed up to be fixed. But maybe it’s a matter of taking a step back and seeing from a wider perspective. Mistakes only appear to be irreparable if you zoom in on them and focus solely on them. But there is still a whole white, blank page outside the lines. There are always new avenues to discover, and new possibilities. The sun will always rise in the morning. Have hope. But remember, as Einstein said: you can’t solve problems with the same mindset you used to create them.

The second lesson was something that took me a while to notice. Whenever we’d be doing crafts, whether drawing or painting or coloring, more often than not, she would at some point ask to switch pen / paint brush / crayon. A theory I came up with eventually was… maybe she noticed that my artwork was looking nicer than hers, and she felt that it was from me using a “better” pen / paint brush / crayon. The interesting thing of course was that all the pens, brushes, and crayons were the same. It was a matter of motor skills.

And perhaps this is how most of us feel about life: If only we had better this or that, we’d be able to do better. We use our lives chasing after “better” things and wishing we had them, but the truth is, we all have the “same” tools – at least in terms of usefulness. We are all given exactly what we need in life to grow the way we need to, so even if on the surface or physical level it appears we were given different things, the truth is that we all have “the same” things on the spiritual level. So instead of trying to get better physical things, perhaps a better approach would be to learn to use better the tools we are given – like for starters, understanding our own middot [character traits] better, and getting to know our own strengths and how to use what we already have to grow.

I’d like to end and summarize with this amazing story I recently received:

Charlie Chaplin told the audience a wonderful joke and all the people started laughing. Charlie repeated the joke and only a few people laughed. He again repeated the same joke but this time no one laughed. Then he said: “If you cannot laugh at the same joke again and again, then why do you cry again and again over the same worry?”

At the end of the day it boils down to that: Not worrying so much. Things will be okay. You do have everything you need to grow or if not yet, you have what it takes to obtain them. Mistakes can be fixed, if you just remember to be creative and look at the bigger picture (and apologize to those you have to, if you have to). Because, thank G-d, the sun will always rise in the morning.